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Showing posts with the label hydrangeas

Rabbit Pressure On Oakleaf Hydrangeas - January 2024

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I really do NOT like the dang rabbits that live in and around our yard and garden.  I've done my best to protect against their damage, but I didn't do enough this Winter.  With the snow melting, I took one VERY small walk through part of the garden to see how things have fared in the past month-or-so.  I don't want to walk on the wet ground and didn't walk in any of the beds to avoid compaction.   But...from the edge of the beds, I was able to see some serious rabbit damage on a number of my Oakleaf Hydrangeas.  Even on one that I wrapped in Chicken wire.  What the heck!?! Here's a few photos showing the rabbit pressure - and gnawing of the tips - on my SnowQueen and Alice Oakleaf Hydrangeas.    The problem is that these flowering shrubs bloom on old wood.  That means...2024 will be a year of limited flowers.  Bummer.   Weather-permitting, I'll go out and grab more photos.  Coming up with a real plan on rabbits feels like a 2024 project.  This aggression will no

Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangeas Going Pink - August 2023

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Our front yard hydrangeas have never had a better year than this year.  Full stop.  They are covered with blooms.  And those blooms are big and full.  Leading to the WORST flopping that we've ever hard - even with the large Limelight Hydrangeas that have been the most productive over the years. First...the Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangeas.  They are starting to 'turn' with pink showing up on the flowers - you can see one of them below: I've tracked this 'turning' over the years - in 2017 it started in July , in 2018 it was in September,  same in 2019  and in 2022 (last year), I only documented them when they were in full color - October.   This year it is late August when they're starting to add pink to the big, white mophead blooms. As for the flopping, it appears that the removal of the Norway Maple has changed so much up there and that I'll have to deal with them this Summer (trying to string them up) and that my pruning technique will have to change sta

Little Lime Hydrangeas - Summer Bloom Time - August 2023

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Last Summer (June 2022), I bought three Little Lime Hydrangea (a dwarf cultivar of Limelight ) and planted them in front of the Belgian Fence of Apple trees.  They were small, but produced a handful of blooms in late July that first growing season . Fast-forward a year and these three flowering shrubs have changed quite a bit.  They're thicker, more full and...FULL of blooms this year.  See below for a photo of their current (mid-August) state: These are a really good solve for this spot - they're at the back of the bed, but with the Belgian Fence behind, I couldn't use a full-height shrub here as they'd obscure the espalier.  So, this dwarf version is perfect.   It also has me thinking about how I could re-use these in other spots that are mid-bed.  Further back on this same northside of the backyard, there are spots.  And, maybe even IB2DWS?

Oakleaf Hydrangea Blooms Are Back - June 2023

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Last Summer, we had just ONE bloom on all of our Alice Oakleaf Hydrangeas .  One bloom on like six shrubs.  Why?  Because of the dang rabbits .  They FEASTED on these young shrubs all Winter.  In 2021, the Alice Oakleaf Hydrangeas in our backyard put on quite a show - with blooms in July and some quite lovely red colors in the Fall .   Anyone who reads up on various hydrangeas will quickly learn that Oakleaf Hydrangeas bloom on 'old wood' - meaning...they put out their flowers on growth that happens the previous Summer/Fall.  That's the very same growth that the dang rabbits were eating.   As a result, last Fall, bought A LOT of chicken wire.   I learned from experience I had with the small Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangea that I bought at the Morton Arboretum last Spring:  they grew their entire life inside of a chicken wire ring .  And they bloomed.    So, I created rings of chicken wire and surrounded every one of my Oakleaf Hydrangeas.  And the work paid off.  Here (be

Fire Light Hydrangea - Planted Front Porch - May 2023

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I've continued to make progress on my #3 priority on the 2023 to-do list:  the front porch bed .  Most recently, it was planting of five very small (1 gallon) Green Velvet Boxwoods that run from the new Triumph Elm to the property line and (will) create some structure in the bed.  Earlier this month, I laid out a bit of an overview of the plan up there - including what I wanted to plant.  In that post , I listed the plant material required. Here's where it stands after the Boxwoods: 3 Disneyland Roses  (planted) 4 Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grasses  (have them, just need to transplant) 1 Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea 10-12 Ajuga Chocolate Chip 8 (or so) Summer Beauty Allium 4-5 Green Velvet Boxwoods (going to buy small) 8-10 Moor Grassses Flat or two of French Marigolds (Annuals) The next item on my list is solving for that Hydrangea. I have three Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangeas up there that have been doing...umm...just fine. One of them died, but the other ones haven't b

2023 PW Plants Of The Year - January 2023

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Proven Winners has come out with their 2023 plants of the year recently and the list includes a few things of note (for me) that are worth getting to know a bit. Before I run through the ones that standout to me, I thought it was important to remind (myself) what Proven Winners uses as their criteria.  Now...Proven Winners is in the business of selling A LOT of plants, so what they say are their 'winners' are grounded in that:  commerce.  But... here's what they say are their criteria :   Easy to grow Iconic Readily available Outstanding landscape performance Easy to grow...for who?  Them...in their greenhouses?  Or, me the intermediate gardener with a shade-filled yard that lacks irrigation in Zone 5b?   Readily available speaks to their ease of growing, so they're really saying 'easy to grow' twice. That last one:  outstanding performance.  This one is the key.  Again...performance of what?   There are other groups who name X of the year - like the Perennial

Oakleaf Hydrangeas Holding Their Leaves Into Winter - December 2022

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Most everything has let go of their leaves for the season.  Our Hornbeams are holding some of their leaves and the Chanticlear Pear flowering trees have many of theirs, too.  But, there are a few shrubs that are playing the marcescence game, too.   The deciduous shrubs that I recently noticed are holding their leaves are a few varieties of Oakleaf Hydrangeas.  This is, I think, the latest they've head their leaves into Winter, but this is ALSO the first year that I've protected them with chicken wire cages from the dang rabbits.  So...is it just a unique situation where they're holding their leaves longer than normal?  Or, is the nibbling from the rabbits what has - in past years - caused the leaves to drop?  Either way, I'm happy to see these leaves stick around. First...the Alice Oakleaf Hydrangeas that are closer to the house.  These are holding deep purple leaves on all of them.  See below: Also, a little further down that same bed are three Little Honey Oakleaf H

Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangeas in Full Color - October 2022

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As part of our initial startup landscaping installation, w e put in five Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangeas across the front of our house .  Four in front of the porch - behind the inital boxwood row - and one over on the side of the garage - the corner where the garage meets the driveway and sideyard.  I've posted about them over the years , but I don't think they've ever managed to reach their peak color-wise like they have this year.  Or...rather...like the ONE by the garage has this year.  The other four have all struggled.  Because of the Norway Maple tree.  Of the four, one of them has died.    The Hydrangea by the garage? It is putting on quite a show: But, the blooms are falling over.  One of my 2023 to-do items needs to be learning how to prune hydrangeas so they stand upright and stop flopping over .   I also need to replace the one that died up front.  With the tree being removed, the time is right bring these to their full potential.

Limelight Hydrangea Cutting - First New Growth - September 2022

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Ten days ago, I posted a couple of photos a new (to me) project of trying to grow hydrangeas from cuttings .  I tried two different culitvars (Limelight and Strawberry Vanilla) at the time and frankly...I wasn't sure if what I was doing was going to work and/or if it was going to be too late in the growing season to even attempt these. I still don't have the answer to the second question (is it too late?), but I do have a mixed-results answer to how they would do.  That answer?  The Limelight seems to have transitioned from cutting to (potentially) rooted.  The Vanilla Strawberry cutting?  Not so much. Here, below, is the limelight cutting.  The most critical thing to note?  The new, lighter color leaves at the center.  These new leaves are a sign that this cutting has managed to 'take hold': The larger leaves are cut.  And that's on purpose.  I trimmed them in half as a way to try to help the little cutting survive.  Some plantsmen call them 'solar panels'

Hydrangea Cuttings - September Starts - September 2022

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Along with the Catalpa tree seeds/seedlings work and the transplanting of the Kentucky Coffee Tree seedlings into larger containers, I came across a video that talked about growing hydrangeas from cuttings.  So...I figured....why not give it a try.   The process is pretty easy.  Find a shoot that is still green.  Count down three pairs of leaves and give the shoot a cut.  I then dipped the stem in rooting compound, trimmed all the leaves off - and even trimmed the remaining leaves in half - and stuck it in some potting mix.   I'm trying this with two species:  on the left below (the sad one) is Strawberry Vanilla Hydrangea.  On the right is a Limelight Hydrangea.  I stuck them in a couple of pots that I formerly had Kentucky Coffee tree seedlings that I had on hand:  Below is a closer look at the Limelight.  After I took this photo, I trimmed the top leaves in half to try to give the little cutting a bit less plant to try to support.   I have concerns that I've taken on this pr

Little Lime Hydrangeas - First Blooms - July 2022

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Earlier this Summer, I brought home and planted three Little Lime Hydrangeas in our backyard .  What feels like so long ago - but was actually just six weeks ago - I was wrapping up my big push around planting shrubs this year with these three flowering dwarf hydrangeas.  I ended up planting them right in front of the Apple tree Belgian Fence along the north fence line.  In the photo below, you can see the three shrubs and how they're getting their first blooms - and really earning their name: A few notes for the garden diary here:  in the foreground of the photo above, you can see two of the three Miscanthus sinesis 'Adagio' grasses . They're doing well in this spot - with this being their second growing season having gone in late last year.   Second - if you squint, you can see one of the Chicago Lustre Arrowwood Viburums on the far right.  Aside from the dang rabbits nibbling on these, they seem to be doing just fine - and are putting on new growth.  They'll nee

Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangeas Colorful Blooms - July 2022

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I bought and planted a pair of Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangeas from the Morton Arboretum Plant Sale this Spring.    Here's the location and lay-of-the-bed where they went in . I've had trouble with Oakleaf Hydrangeas being eaten up by dang rabbits in the past, so I decided to ring these in chicken wire to protect their tender shoots this Summer - their initial growing season. By last month - the end of June - they both were showing the beginnings of tall, pointy blooms .  Three weeks later?  They're starting to earn their name by putting some color on those blooms.   See below for a look at the pink that is emerging in mid-July on these flowering shrubs: I don't want to jinx myself, but (*knock wood*) so far, so good when it comes to the chicken wire.  These have seemingly avoided being decimated by the dang rabbits and leads me to believe that I REALLY need to wrap all of these in wire this Fall ahead of Winter.  

Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangeas In Bloom - June 2022

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This Spring, I planted a pair of Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangeas in our backyard in the north bed, behind the Weeping Nootka Cypress and right in a colony with a dwarf Alice Oakleaf Hydrangea that I moved over there a couple of seasons ago.  These two small Oakleaf Hydrangeas were from the Morton Arboretum Plant Sale this year .  As soon as I planted them , the dang rabbits started attacking them, so I kept a little ring of chicken wire around each of them.  That seemed to keep the foliage going and now we're seeing the first blooms.  See below for a photo of the two Ruby Slippers (in the back) showing their first, tall white blooms.  Each of these get four-to-five feet wide, so they have quite a bit of spread yet to come.  But, I'm excited to see these first flowers.  I'm pretty sure that these are far earlier than they'll be in the coming years - and maybe that's due to the flush of growth ahead of the Morton Aboretum Sale has quickened their cycle this year. Ac

3 Little Lime Hydrangeas Brought Home - June 2022

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Yesterday, I showed a couple of photos showing three new Green Velvet Boxwoods that I bought and planted IB2DWs - right by the gravel path.  In that post, I ran through the 'shrub math' and compared my initial priority list with what I've done (so far).   Here, below, is the initial list with annotations on what has been done so far.   5 Oakleaf Hydrangeas.   Planted and done.  8 Viburnum.  4 treeform bought.  3 planted in back.  1 in front.  Call it 5 remaining. 3 Little Lime Hydrangeas.   3 Tardiva Hydrangeas 1 Panicle Hydrangea.   Planted one of the Doublefile Viburnum here.   6-8 upright evergreens   Planted six Green Giant Thujas in two spots. 6-8 boxwoods and/or Yews - 3 Green Velvet planted IB2DW .  (at least) 3 left.  This post is about how I found and brought home three Little Lime Hydrangeas.  Here, below, is what the three of these 2# Little Lime Hydrangeas at the big box nursery. These were $29.98 each and were on a lower rack, kind of tucked-away so they seem

3 Little Lime Hydrangeas Planted + Azalea Transplanting - June 2022

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At the beginning of June, I showed off the three 2# Little Lime Hydrangeas that I brought home as part of our backyard landscape plan .  I wanted them to fill in right in front of the apple tree Belgian Fence espalier on the north side of the yard - under the Tree Swing Northern Red Oak tree. In order to get these three in the ground, I first has to dig up and transplant an existing shrub: An Azelea .  This flowering shrub has been in the ground for a number of years and, in reality, was in a terrible spot.  It flowers (barely), but is leggy and not happy here.  I started by digging up the azalea while trying to keep the rootball totally intact and surrounded by soil.  See below for the spade I used to dig this azalea up - right in front of the Belgian Fence espalier: I decided to move this one out further west to a more-sunny spot in the backyard.   With these being #13, #14 and #15 shrubs planted, I thought I'd revisit my initial list : 5 Oakleaf Hydrangeas.   Planted and done. 

Little Honey Oakleaf Hydrangeas Planted - May 2022

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A week ago, I started posting a series of photos of the plant material that we brought home from the annual Morton Arboretum Arbor Day Plant Sale.  The first of those posts were these three Little Honey Oakleaf Hydrangeas that are bright chartreuse in color and are dwarf (under 5' tall) in stature.  The plan called for three Little Lime Hydrangeas, but because this spot is deeper into the shade than it used to be (when the plan was built/drafted), I decided to call the audible and move to an Oakleaf variety.   I tucked these three into the area just to the West of where I dug out the Lilacs.  They get four feet tall and four feet wide, so when mature, they'll (hopefully) fill in the current spacing.  You can see the three Little Honey Oakleaf Hydrangeas standing OUT in the landscape below: Here, below, is an annotated version of that same photo showing where these are located - understory of the flowering Kwanzan Cherry tree and bordered by the Everillo Sedges and one (of th

Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangeas - Morton Arboretum Plant Sale - May 22

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 Yesterday, I started with the first set of plants that I picked up at the Morton Arboretum Plant Sale:  three Little Honey Oakleaf Hydrangea .  In that post, I talked about the sale (it is really great) and how I went in with a plan (shrubs first, others second).  I was able to (mostly) stick to my plan and brought home a total of five flowering shrubs - three Little Honey - and two Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangeas.  Again....I'll mention:  #1 on my 2022 to-do list was to focus on shrubs .  And, these two Ruby Slippers pays that off.  In my 'shrubs' post where I listed out needs, I talked about five Oakleaf Hydrangeas .  Turns out, I *think* that I really need either eight (three more) or (maybe) just five, but three more of SOME OTHER kind of dwarf flowering shrub.   Before we talk about placement, let's look at Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers'.  Below are the two that I brought home: Below is the sign at the Morton Arboretum Arbor Day Plant Sale.  It des

Little Honey Oakleaf Hydrangea - Morton Arboretum Sale - May 2022

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This past weekend was the annual Morton Arboretum Arbor Day Plant Sale.  I've gone the past couple of years and always have such a nice time and bring home really interesting plants that you just can't find at big box nurseries.  And, their prices are pretty fair.   Over the years, I've bought grasses ( All Gold Japanese Forest Grasses , Karl Foerster Grasses, Totem Pole grass ), trees ( a cool red Katsura and an Emperor 1 Japanese Maple ), ferns ( Ghost Ferns and others), sedges and both Epimedium and Pulmonaria.   Last year, I went in with a 'loose plan' and came home with a variety of plants that I really liked that work in our (mostly-shade) garden.   If you've never been, I'll tell you:  it is REALLY HARD to focus and prioritize.  Every table has something that is interesting and unique.  And, it is REALLY EASY to just start putting stuff in your box to bring home.  Soon, the total adds up and you're buying stuff that you are drawn to but...mayb

Doublefile Viburnum Treeform Planted Out Front Porch Bed - May 2022

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Our plan for the year called for a focus on shrubs .  Shrubs in the backyard, mostly.  But, also shrubs in the front yard.  In my post outlining the list of shrubs that are called for in the plan, I mentioned needing to replace one of the Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangeas that are sitting in front of our front porch out front.  It started to decline last year and despite watering, it withered and died last Summer.  A couple of factors came in play (I'm pretty sure) that caused the hydrangea to die:  the surface root mat from the Norway Maple tree outcompeting the hydrangea COUPLED with the hydrophobic mulch that was taking place and not allowing the watering that I *was* providing to get down to the rootball.   I found four treeform Viburnum - Doublefile - at Menards and brought them home with the goal of adding them to our yard - mostly in the backyard.  Our plan called for eight additional Viburnum (Arrowwood Chicago Lustre) around the border of our yard that would complement the

Fire Pit Boundary Shrub Exploration - April 2022

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Today marks the fourth in the running series of exploration posts around how I am thinking and planning for shrubs this season.  Getting going on shrubs - both deciduous and evergreen - is my #1 priority for this growing season and I've taken the past few posts to talk thru - on the blog - my thoughts. The three previous beds that I walked thru are: 1. A 20' area where I need to replace some lilacs with an evergreen layer and three Tardiva Hydrangeas . 2. An adjacent spot that calls for a similar (but different) evergreen layer fronted by three dwarf Little Lime Hydrangeas that are planted in a way to NOT foreclose a potential path. 3. The area that lays at the feet of the pair of Greenspire Linden trees along our fence line close to our patio that calls for some formal evergreens. Today I wanted to talk about the fence-side of our fire pit.  Here's what the area looks like currently below.  The annotated photo shows what is currently in place:  Red = existing matur